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Politics & Government

Meeting Minutes: Dearborn Recreation Department Discusses After School Program, Problems in the Parks

Issues with fighting and profanity at Levagood Park, as well as efforts to get more students interested in the department's after school programming, were major topics of discussion at Tuesday night's meeting.

The Dearborn Recreation Commission met Tuesday evening at the , discussing several issues concerning the recreation center, the After School Tutoring, Mentoring and Recreation Program, and Commissioner Michael Suchara, who after 31 years of service is leaving the commission.

Gift Certificates Could Bolster Involvement

Suchara’s idea for marketing to realtors was mentioned.

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Suchara said, “What occurred to me is we offer so much in town and no better way to share that would be to start developing a program of gift certificates.”

Several suggestions for the certificates included an outing at Camp Dearborn which could include recreational features offered there. Suchara also said he thought this is something that could be done for the center as well.

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“No matter what they pay for it isn’t costing Dearborn another penny except the cost of marketing and putting the program together,” he said.

Suchara’s reception was after the meeting.

Problems at the Parks

Seasonal problems were mentioned concerning the basketball court at , where adults sometimes have full court games causing teenagers to wait two to four hours before getting a chance to play.

According to the commission, as summer went by, the problem worsened. Foul language was used and sometimes altercations started.

Suggested solutions included dividing the court in half, creating a time limit and allowing full-court use only if it will be supervised. A motion was made to change the basketball court from full court to half. All voted in favor and none opposed.

After School Programming

Jaime Timiney, sports supervisor for the department, discussed the after school program. Timiney recommended seeking help from the members there who have more contacts than him and know potential sponsors, and added that 3,270 flyers were distributed to the middle schools. The program is already being promoted on several websites, including the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center’s site. The flyer is in the Center’s fall brochure, will be going in Student Life, and other websites.

“The information is out there but with regard to paying for the program, I think it’s going to take some effort to get out there,” said Timiney.

Pools Suggestions Continue

Ryan Woods of Save Our Pools suggested if the pools could be open late during the summer. A member of the commission told Woods he lives in an area that has a pool his daughter visits and told Woods he was “doing a great job.”

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